Accident
by geniveve-jason
Summary: What happens when Percy gets terribly hurt in a car crash? Annabeth's world comes crashing down and no one knows what will happen... Or if he'll ever wake up.
1. Chapter 1

PERCY

Percy was driving to Annabeth's house. It was their second anniversary of dating and they had asked Chiron if they could skip camp for a day or two. After he gave them the go-ahead they planned to meet at her apartment in Manhattan and go to a concert in central park.

Percy was driving on one of the not so crowded streets in the city. He was really excited. This night was going to be amazing, one they would remember for a while. It was one of their first dates in the real world. Most of the others had been picnic on the beach at camp or in the gardens of Olympus when Annabeth was on break from her architect work.

Percy ran a hand through his shaggy hair and decided to leave it a mess. Annabeth liked it that way better than combed down. He was dressed in jeans and a nice shirt, not too casual but not too dressy either. His mom had picked it out for him. Even though Annabeth had her own apartment, he still lived with his mom and Paul, but that was ok because he went to college in the city and had his own dorm during school. Annabeth had already flown through her college in only two years instead of four and had a job already. Percy wondered if he was supposed to feel like he should step it up a bit but decided that he would never impress her with his smarts as she was a child of Athena.

Percy checked the time, 8:37. He was making good time. The plan was to pick her up at 8:45 and he was a couple of minutes away from her house. When he looked up he saw a car speeding right at him.

It was going way to fast and was straying in his lane. He knew it was too late to swerve, but he tried anyway. No good.

The car ran straight into his pickup, a head-on collision that flipped Percy's truck backwards and caused it to roll into the middle of the street. Percy's vision had gone hazy when the truck ran into him, but it turned black when his car flipped over. He vaguely remembered hearing screaming and felt warm blood trickle down his forehead before he sank into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

EMT-Jack

They got the call at 8:38. There had been a head-on collision with one car flipping backwards. Apparently it had been really bad. Jack had hopped in an ambulance with some of his colleagues and they raced to the scene.

When they go there, it was worse than Jack thought. Some police had got there first. One was taping the street off and keeping bystanders away from the scene. Another police were helping people out of one of the cars that had been in the wreck. The four in the car looked okay, with only some cuts and bruises. The police were testing them for DIU and it looked like they were arresting the driver.

The worst part was the blue pick-up that had been flipped. No sooner than the ambulance had even stopped, police were frantically calling the EMTs over. There was still a person in the car.

Jack got there first and what he saw made his heart drop. There was a teenager, no older than 18, with a mop of black hair still strapped in the driver's seat of the totaled car. The police hadn't been able to get him out yet. Some firefighters ran over with tools to get the boy out and Jack stepped back.

He took in everything that was happening. There were red and blue lights flashing and sirens wailing. There were screams echoing into the dark night and police shouting. More and more ambulances, fire trucks and police cars were coming every minute. Another EMT was preparing the gurney for the boy in the car and the firefighters had gotten the car door off.

They quickly sawed off the boy's seatbelt and gently got him out of the car and onto the ground where Jack arrived seconds later.

The boy wasn't breathing, but he still had a pulse. Jack began to give him CPR. His adrenaline was pumping; this was one of the worst scenes he had been called to. Jack worked frantically on the boy and another EMT came with a mask to put over the boy's face and pumped oxygen through that.

Tears started to well up in Jack's eyes. The scenario had hit him right in the heart. He had a son about the same age as the boy. He couldn't imagine this ever happening to his son, David. His son even had black hair. There had been a second when he first looked in the car when he thought it had been David. When he saw he was wrong, the first thing he felt was relief. The second was guilt. That was the worst part; he had been relieved that it was this boy who had been hurt and not his son. He would never forgive himself for that.

Suddenly he heard a frantic voice calling, "THAT'S MY SON! THAT'S MY SON!"


	3. Chapter 3

PAUL

Paul had been walking home from school. He had gone to a faculty meeting about the upcoming school year that would start in two weeks. He had gotten a roster of students that he would have in each class. The meeting had run a little late and he called Sally and apologized for having to stay later than he thought. She had said it was ok; she would have more time to work on her new book.

He was really proud of her. She put her heart and soul into her book about single parenting. This was her second book. Her first was an adult romance/mystery novel, but she decided to write a book about raising a child on her own, and Percy consented to her idea of a memoir. She just had to leave out a few details out. Like how Poseidon was his dad and how he went on life-threatening quests every once in a while.

Paul decided to walk home that night. It was about 8:30 and it was a perfect summer night. It was warm and there was a slight breeze, the conditions were perfect for walking. He turned down a street and the glare of police lights and sirens wailing greeted him. Their apartment was this way so he kept walking.

He passed mobs of people and had to cross to the other side of the street because of the 'do not cross' tape. He walked by a reporter talking to a camera and overheard part of the report.

"…It seems there has been a _nasty _automobile accident here tonight. A driver, whose name is not released, was driving under the influence with three other friends in the car was arrested. He drove head-on into a pickup truck with only one passenger. The truck flipped over and the driver of it, an unidentified male of about 18 or 19, was severely injured. More of this story will follow up…"

Pail walked quickly into the throng surrounding the scene. Percy was driving to Annabeth's tonight. He would have driven on this road. He was 18 and had a pickup truck…

Panic filled Paul's mind. He began frantically pushing people out of the way, trying to get closer,

He saw a navy blue pickup truck, totaled, off to the side. His panic increased. It looked exactly like Percy's car.

He quickly looked around the scene and his eyes fell on a group of EMTs huddled around a body. They seemed to be performing CPR.

Paul craned his neck. He had to see if it was Percy.

An EMT scooted to the side as another moved to take his place.

Paul nearly sank to the ground. He had seen all that he needed in order to know….shaggy black hair….that face…

"THAT'S MY SON!" he yelled frantically, ducking under the yellow tape. "THAT'S MY SON!"


	4. Chapter 4

Jack

Jack turned around to see a man ducking under the police tape yelling "THAT'S MY SON!" A police man went over to him and refused to let him pass. Jack could see the man gesturing wildly and quickly ran over. He put a hand on the police's should and said, "It's ok, he can come." The man looked at him gratefully.

"Thanks…I-"he stopped and stared at the mangled body of the boy. He had a gash on his forehead, and his arm and leg bent at the wrong angles. There was blood all over his shirt and on the ground. The EMTs were still pumping oxygen through a mask. The man crouched down and put his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking.

Suddenly an EMT announced "He's breathing!" Jack saw the man look up hopefully and the EMT reported more: "He's breathing on his own, but still needs help." Another paramedic brought over the oxygen tank and put the tube under the boy's nose.

The ambulance had backed up and two EMTs had opened the back and pulled out a gurney. Jack hurried over and helped put the boy on the gurney. Someone had put a neck brace on the boy and they needed to be really careful lifting him up onto it. A paramedic strapped him in and pushed him into the ambulance where other paramedics were waiting and they quickly started taking blood pressure and pulse.

Jack walked back to the man and watched him as he sadly saw his son put in the ambulance and the doors closed.

Jack turned to him, "I'm sorry. I would offer you a ride in the ambulance, but there isn't any room."

"It's okay," the man said shakily as the ambulance turned on its flashing red and white lights and the sirens blared. "I'd better call his mother." He paused. "It's his birthday you know," he said smiling grimly.

Jack didn't know what to say. The whole event was terrible, but to have it be on the boy's birthday…

"Oh, here," said Jack remembering the objects in his pocket. He pulled out the wallet and phone that had been recovered from the car. He handed the objects to the man.

He took them and started at them blankly.

"I'm sorry about your son," Jack said, "but I have to go now."

The man nodded understandingly, "Thank you, for everything." Jack nodded and left. He got in the passenger seat of a police car. The car started and they were off to the hospital.

Jack pressed his head against the window and looked out of it, crying.


	5. Chapter 5

Paul

Paul stared blankly at the objects he held in his hands. How could these little things survive without a scratch when Percy was so… messed up?

He watched as the EMT that had given him the possessions drive away as he sank on to the curb of the street.

He opened Percy's phone and his wallpaper was a picture of him and Annabeth, laughing and eating ice cream in their Camp Half-Blood t-shirts. They looked so happy and carefree. Paul saw a tear drop land on Percy's ice cream and another land on Annabeth's face. He quickly wiped them and the ones on his face off.

The situation was really sinking in now. How could this happen to a guy like Percy? He didn't deserve this! He had overcome so many difficulties already. Things that no one could ever understand.

Paul and Percy had grown quite close these past couple of years. Paul was one of the people who had taught Percy to drive. He fondly remembered those crazy, anxiety filled outings and smiled. There had been that time that Percy had almost driven into a barn and Paul had been yelling like crazy. There was also the time they had gotten lost in the countryside and had run out of gas so Sally had to come get them.

He remembered those times when Sally had gone out and they watched football together, eating and making a mess.

Their relationship wasn't that awkward stepson/stepfather one. It was more of the uncle/nephew one where they got along really well.

It wasn't even uncomfortable when Paul was Percy's English teacher.

Paul sighed and figured he had better call Sally. He didn't even realize he had used Percy's phone until Sally answered and said, "Hey, I thought you were will Annabeth."

Paul was momentarily confused then said "No, Sally, it's Paul" his voice cracking.

"Oh, hey Paul," she said surprised. "Why do you have Percy's phone?"

Paul closed his eyes. "Honey, there was an accident," he said softly. "Percy was in a car crash and he's being driven to the hospital in an ambulance right now."

There was silence on the other end. "Sally?" he said tenderly.

"Yes…I…" she cut off. "Is he okay?" she asked and he could tell she was crying. He didn't want to make her feel worse, but he wanted to be truthful.

"He ummm, was pretty scratched up and didn't wake… he needed CPR but he's breathing now." Paul waited.

"I'll be at the hospital in five minutes," Sally said, "Meet me there."

Paul heard her hang up and waved down a taxi. He told the driver to go to the hospital and sat back, flipping Percy's phone open again. His eyes fell on the picture of Percy and Annabeth.


	6. Chapter 6

Annabeth

Annabeth pulled her new, blue blouse over her head. She was getting ready for her date with Percy tonight. She knew his favorite color was blue and it was his birthday as well as their anniversary, so she wanted to please him.

She was hurriedly pinning up her curly, blonde hair when her phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID. Seaweed Brain.

She pressed talk and answered, "Hey"

"Hi," answered a voice back, but it wasn't Percy. "Is this Annabeth?"

"Yes," she answered. "Paul? Is that you?"

"Yea," he replied, "it is."

Annabeth thought he sounded…weird. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Annabeth, you'd better come quickly," he said and she paled. What had happened? What could be so bad that Paul had to tell her, calling from Percy's phone? "It's Percy," he continued. "He's in the hospital. There was a bad car accident."

Annabeth dropped the phone and it cracked against the floor. She sank to the ground, her back against the wall and put her face in her hands.

She sat there for a few minutes. A car accident? On his birthday? Did he ever get a break from bad things happening to him? Silent tears rolled down her cheek as she stood up and brushed herself off. Paul had told her to go to the hospital, and that is exactly what she was going to do.

When she arrived at the lobby, she headed to the desk where a nice-looking old woman was working.

"Can I help you with something?" the lady asked when Annabeth reached the desk. The woman looked up and saw Annabeth's distressed face. Her eyes were red and blotchy from crying and her hair was a mess. She looked like she was holding it all in for the sake of the woman at the desk.

"Oh honey," the nice lady said, coming around to the front of the desk, and Annabeth read the name Darcy on her name tag. "What's the matter?" she asked putting her arm around Annabeth's shoulder and leading her to a chair.

Annabeth inhaled deeply as she sat down and Darcy sat next to her. "It's my boyfriend." She finally managed to get out. "He's been in a car crash."

A look of recognition crossed Darcy's face. "I saw them bring him in a couple of minutes ago, I think they brought him to level 2. He would be in the west wing."

"Thank you," Annabeth said and wearily stood up.

"Come back down if you need anything, alright?" Darcy asked and Annabeth nodded her head, a little smile playing on her lips. Then she walked over to the elevator and headed up to level 2.

When the elevator doors dinged open, Annabeth found herself on a busy floor. Doctors and nurses were rushing around, there was an occasional gurney lining the hallways and nobody paid much attention to her as she walked down the west wing.

She finally spotted Sally and Paul sitting outside the room at the far end of the hall and she rushed down to them. They looked up as she neared and Sally stood up to give her a big hug.

"Oh, Annabeth," was all she said as the two of them embraced. Annabeth sat down next to them and Paul told her the story of how he was walking home when he had seen the accident scene. Sally then updated her on Percy's condition.

"He's in pretty bad shape," she said tearfully and Annabeth closed her eyes. "The doctors are stitching him up right now, because there were a lot of cuts, and he broke his leg and wrist." Sally took a deep breath and continued. "He also has a major concussion, and the doctors don't know how it is going to affect his brain yet."

The three of them sat in silence.

They stayed like that for a while until a doctor came out of Percy's room. He consulted his clipboard and cleared his throat. They all looked at him.

"I have some bad news," he said, and a tear ran down Annabeth's cheek. Sally squeezed her hand. "I'm afraid that Mr. Jackson is in a coma," he said. "But you can go in and see him now, just be cautious, he needs to rest.

The doctor left, walking down the hall and Percy's parents and girlfriend slowly stood up. Annabeth quietly opened the door and made her way to the bed on the opposite side of the room where she saw a figure, covered him bruises and scraped and hooked up to a machine.

She slowly crossed the room and sat in the chair next to the bed. There he was, laying peacefully, his chest slowly rising up and down, visible through the white sheets. The hand closest to Annabeth had a cast around it, and his face and arms were covered in cuts. The worst one was a deep gash across his forehead that had a bandage wrapped around it.

Annabeth tried hard not to cry, but it didn't work. She took his hand between hers and tears splashed in the cast.

'Why?' she thought. 'Why this? I don't know what's worse: not knowing where you were or if you were even alive for 8 months, or seeing you like this, in such a terrible state. After all those monsters, after all those battles, this is how you might die? By the hand of a drunk mortal. Do the Fates hate us? Our life had been hell, yet you still survived. Now the Fates drive you into s car crash, on your birthday, on our anniversary. And now you're in a coma.'


	7. Chapter 7

Annabeth

Annabeth woke to find light shining through the window, splashing on Percy and shedding light on all his cuts and bruises. There was a light sheet covering him under which she could see his chest slowly rising and falling. Annabeth supposed she had fallen asleep here, in the chair next to Percy's bed. She remembered everything from the previous night, from getting the call to staying up until 3am with Sally.

Sally. Where was she? Annabeth scanned the room and found no trace of her, thought her eyes did land on a clock. Was it really 9:30 already?

Annabeth heard the door creak open and two figures entered the room, one in a wheelchair.

"Chiron, Poseidon." Annabeth said standing and hurriedly fixing her hair that splayed every which way.

"Hello, child," Chiron said. His voice was heavy with weariness and his eyes had lost every trace of sparkle they once had. Poseidon didn't look much better. His jet black hair was streaked with gray and wrinkles lined his once handsome face. He seemed to age ten years since the last time Annabeth saw him.

Chiron wheel himself over and Poseidon pulled a chair up next to Annabeth. They all sat there, talking about the night before and how awful the whole situation was. The whole time they talked, Poseidon never let his eyes leave his son and he took Percy's hand in his own.

"But," Annabeth said, scrunching her eyebrows together, obviously thinking hard, "won't water heal him? Not completely, but just a little?"

Poseidon sighed. "Magic is a strange thing. Because Percy isn't conscious, his powers, which involve healing himself with water, aren't working."

"And," Annabeth said after a pause, "he's a demi-god," she lowered her voice. "Won't ambrosia and nectar help him? He won't get that here."

This time it was Chiron who replied. "You bring up a good point. We made sure another demi-god, James Halberstam, a son of Apollo, is Percy's assigned doctor. We talked to him earlier while you were still sleeping. We didn't want to wake you, you looked exhausted. James said that Percy was given some godly food, and it looks like if they give him a little bit each day, his body will start healing faster, but that doesn't mean he'll come out of his coma any quicker."

"Oh," Annabeth said, "That's great the ambrosia and nectar are helping, but does anyone know when he'll come out of the coma?"

Chiron sighed. "There are some question we would all like the answers to."

They all sat there until Annabeth's stomach growled really loudly.

Poseidon patted her knee. "Why don't you go down to the cafeteria? I believe Sally is down there as well."

When Annabeth entered the cafeteria, she spotted Sally right away. She was in the way back of the room. Paul was there too, but he got up, pecked Sally on the cheek and walked out, coffee in hand.

Annabeth weaved her way through a maze of chairs and sat across from Sally, startling her.

Sally jumped, "Oh, hello honey," she said and forced a smile through a haze of pain and weariness. Annabeth again thought of how unfair this was. The moment they get a break, disaster strikes again, and it affects the nicest people on the planet.

Annabeth knew that Sally had a rough life, from being orphaned to not getting a diploma to marrying a drunk and losing her son for 6 months. But now this was the final straw. As soon as she got Percy back, he disappeared again. This time he was still in the room with them, yet miles away.

Annabeth patted Sally's arm and got up to get in line to buy a muffin. As she waited in line, she looked around the room. There were countless people in wheelchairs, many in bandages, and most fed by nurses. The sight made her even more depressed. She imagined that most of these people had once been healthy and strong, but now their dignity was stripped away as aids scraped food off their chins.

She couldn't imagine Percy ever having to go through that. I mean, the Hero of Olympus, demi-god of TWO great prophecies, defeater of so many monsters, reduced to being hand fed by a nurse. Yet again, she couldn't imagine him lying powerless in a hospital be, unconscious to the whole world.

By the time she had made her way back to Sally, muffin in her hand, she was in tears again.

Sally didn't need any words to be spoken, but stood up and wrapped Annabeth in a motherly hug. The two women stayed like that, crying on each other's shoulders.


	8. Chapter 8

Annabeth

She slowly walked back to Percy's room, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. Sally had quickly run to the apartment to grab a change of clothes for herself and get some of the stuff that Annabeth had at their place.

Annabeth didn't want to go back to the room, to see Percy like that, but she couldn't not be by his side either. She wanted to hold his hand, and stroke his forehead and whisper that everything was going to be alright. At least she hoped.

Percy's condition was stable, he hadn't gotten worse, but he hadn't gotten better either. The doctor said there was no sign of him waking soon. He had just laid there and hadn't moved at all except for breathing. At least he was breathing.

When Annabeth got to the door, she was surprised to see so many people in the room, but smiled when she saw that in addition to Chiron and Poseidon being there, Nico, Thalia, Hazel and Frank were there. When she walked in everyone turned and got up to give her a hug. Nico's was quick and awkward while Frank's felt like Tyson's hugs, but without the squeezing to death part. After Hazel, Thalia came up. The two friends looked at each other with tears streaming down their cheeks and embraced each other. Thalia rubbed Annabeth's back whispering: "It's gonna be ok. He's strong, he'll make it through." Annabeth just nodded.

As they made their way to Percy's bed everyone took a seat and Annabeth sat right next to his head after kissing his cheek. They all stared sadly at the broken figure under the sheets. His face was terribly pale and his hand was all clammy. It looked like he was sleeping off a fever if you didn't know better.

Poseidon stood up: "I'm sorry, but I have to go." Annabeth could tell he wanted to stay with his son, but she also knew that he had responsibilities to take care of. He walked over to kiss his son's forehead and then vanished in a blinding light after everyone had closed their eyes.

After a while, everyone dwindled out. Chiron had to go back to camp, Artemis needed Thalia for a quest, Nico was called to the Underworld and Hazel and Frank couldn't stand being in a hospital for too long. Annabeth didn't mind, she loved having everyone there, knowing how much people cared for Percy, but she had also wanted some time alone with him.

(2 weeks later)

It seemed like forever to Annabeth. Sally had convinced Annabeth to go back to work, and she did, but she always went back to the hospital afterward. She had been sleeping in the chair next to Percy for the past two weeks, but she would continue to until he woke up.

Things weren't looking too good. He had stopped breathing yesterday and had to have a tube put down his throat to deliver oxygen to his lungs. Annabeth had gotten the call at work that he wasn't breathing and ran out of the office, leaving all her architect designs on the boss's desk before hastily leaving and almost getting herself a ticket on the way to the hospital. She hadn't left since.

But he had started to breathe on his own again which was a huge relief, but other than that there were no improvements. The doctor came every day to check up on him and everyday Annabeth had just gotten a shake of the head: he wasn't getting better.

Sally had been at the hospital while Annabeth worked and went home when Annabeth reached the hospital so someone was always at Percy's side, not that he noticed.

It was right after Sally had left; Annabeth was sitting in her usual chair, stroking his hair out of the way of his eyes. The window was open, and let in a cool breeze, so Annabeth went to shut it.

When she came back she stood over Percy, searching his face for any sign of consciousness: Nothing. Defeated she sat back down and held his hand, tracing the outline of the cast. Sighing she squeezed his hand and fell back in the chair.

Suddenly she sat straight up. She stared at their intertwined fingers. She couldn't believe it.

He had squeezed back.


	9. Chapter 9

Percy

It was all dark… and he couldn't see anything. His body felt like it had been run over by a truck and he was dead tired. He felt sheets beneath him and someone brushing the hair off his forehead. He strained to open his eyes, to move his head, anything, but it felt like and invisible weight was holding him down, preventing him from doing anything.

What had made him like this? He didn't remember ever coming here…. All he remembered was driving down the road, heading to Annabeth's place when… what? What had happened? This was like when Hera had taken his memories all over again, except this time he knew who he was. He was Percy Jackson. Son of Sally Jackson and Poseidon. His step-father was Paul Blofis and he had the most amazing girlfriend in the whole world, Annabeth Chase.

If only he could wake up, because he had the most overwhelming feeling that **she** was the one brushing the hair out of his eyes, and he just wanted to see her.

All of a sudden, he felt pressure on his hand, and he thought that someone was squeezing it. So he did the most logical thing… he squeezed back.

He faintly heard a gasp and chairs moving and the door opening. There was a lot of talking and he tried to open his eyes. He tried_ so_ hard just to see something; he was tired of the dark. Behind his eyelids he saw bright lights turn on and felt someone touch his cheek.

A male voice said: "Percy. Percy Jackson can you please make another movement?" and he strained to open his eyes again.

"Percy can you do it for me?" he heard an incredibly familiar voice say. She sounded like she was crying… something he hadn't seen her do since Luke died. And he tried one last time… and was rewarded with seeing her face.


	10. Chapter 10

Annabeth

He squeezed back… she couldn't believe it. But before she had time to relish the fact, the door burst open and a flood of doctors swept over Percy, checking the monitor and confirming that there had been some brain activity. Annabeth was relieved that she wasn't just imagining the movement.

She heard the door flutter open again and this time a flustered looking Sally ran over to the bed followed by Paul.

"Wha… What happened?" Sally looked to Annabeth and saw her eyes were shining.

"He squeezed my hand," Annabeth answered, almost not believing it herself. They focused on Percy again and Dr. John Halberstam was gently patting his cheek, asking him to make another motion. He got no response. Annabeth leaned over Percy and asked, "Percy, can you do it for me?"

She anxiously held her breath and Sally leaned over on the other side.

It seemed to take ages, but slowly and surely those brilliant green eyes opened….

Don't drink and drive, or else this will become your story. Minus the happy ending.


End file.
